Lighting unit



March 27, 1934. w, RosEBRAuGl-l AL 1,952,335

LIGHTING UNIT Filed July 28, 1932 INVENTORS Howard J Tait {2 WiLsan Rosebraugh W 6. M

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 27, I934 UNITEE STARS PATENT ()FFICE LIGHTING UNIT Application July 28, 1932, Serial No. 625,362

4 Claims. (Cl. 240-132) The present invention relates to lighting units and is more particularly directed toward retaining means for the glass of enclosed outdoor lighting units.

Lighting units of this type are customarily provided with a metal housing adapted to be secured to a fixed support. This housing carries the lamp socket and lamp bulb and detachably supports some form of glass bowl underneath the lamp.

In order to avoid the entrance of dirt and foreign matter into the interior of the outdoor unit, it is important to interpose a suitable gasket between the metal casing and the glass and to provide means whereby the glass is detachably, but securely, held in place against the gasket.

The present invention contemplates a holding means suitable for this purpose and is more particularly directed toward a holding means in the form of spring clips carried by the casing or housing and adapted to resiliently grip the flange, generally provided about the upper edge of glass bowls such as used in this type of lighting unit. These spring clips are designed to yieldably engage the fiange and support the glass, and are associated with clamping means such as radial screws whereby the clips may be pressed more tightly against the glass and exert a camming action on the flange to force the flange against the gasket, thereby more effectively sealing or closing the unit.

The accompanying drawing-shows, for purposes of illustrating the present invention, one of the many embodiments in which the invention may take form, it being understood that the drawing is illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a lighting unit;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the glass being omitted; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clip.

The holder or housing may be in the form of a casting such as indicated at 10. It supports a lamp socket 11 and a lamp bulb 12 in the usual manner. The casting is provided with an annular fiat seat 13 and a depending skirt 14.

Three spring clips 15 are secured to the casting by rivets indicated at 16. These clips are preferably carried in recesses formed in the seat and extend downwardly inside the skirt as indicated in the drawing. The lower ends of the clips are bent as indicated at 17. A soft gasket l 18 is cemented or otherwise secured to the seat 13 of the casting. The skirt ofthe casting is provided with three tapped holes 19 opposite the clips 15 and each of these holes receives a screw 20-.

A refractlng bowl is indicated at 22. It may be made of one or two parts and is provided with the usual flange 23.

The spring clips are spaced so that the free ends are urged in underneath the flange 23 of the refractor, and are able to loosely supportthe refractor in place so that it can be ori nted if desired. In order to securely clamp the reiractor in place, it is only necessary to tighten up the screws 20. These screws engage the clips and press them inwardly against the edge of the glass flange. They exert a camming 2.0- tion on the glass, pressing it upwardly against the gasket so as to provide a tight, dust-proof joint.

t will be noted that this means of securing the glass in place is characterized, by freedom with direct clamping action by the screws. There is no likelihood of the screws, in this form of construction, crushing or breaking the glass, as would be the case in a. form of holder in which the screw engaged directly with the glass.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions, and we wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is but one of the many forms. Various modifications and changes being possible, we do not otherwise limit ourselves in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lighting unit, a holder having a down wardly facing annular seat, a glass bowl having an outwardly extending flangeabout the upper part thereof and of slightly less diameter than the seat, a plurality of L-shaped' spring clips having their upper portions secured in the seat portions of the holder and having free ends depending downwardly to resiliently receive the flange, and radial screws carried by the holder and engageable with the free ends of the clips to press the same underneath the flange.

2. In an outdoor lighting unit, a housing open at the bottom and having a depending skirt portion and an annular seat adjacent the skirt portion, a plurality of sheet metal L-shaped spring clips having their upper portions secured in the seat portion of the housing and having their 1105 free ends within the skirt and provided with inwardly bent tips, a flanged glass bowl receive ble within the clips, the tips of the clips being inherently pressed inwardly underneath the flange, and adjustable means carried by the skirt 119 4. The combination with a holder, a flanged glass bowl carried in the holder and a gasket interposed between the bowl and holder, of L- shaped spring clips fixedly carried by the holder and having pendant resilient portions for engaging the flange to support the bowl, and radial screws acting on the free ends of the clips to press the clips toward the flange and cause the flange to press against the gasket, the clips flexing at the angle of the L.

WILSON ROSEBRAUGH. HOWARD J. TAIT. 

